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How to Book Beauty and Aesthetic Treatments Safely

Almost every beauty appointment is uneventful. The few that go wrong tend to go wrong in the same ways — a skipped patch test, a treatment done without the right training, a deposit paid to the wrong person — and nearly all of them are visible before you turn up. Here is what to check.

Qualifications and insurance

Ask what training the person treating you has for that specific treatment. For general beauty work, look for a Level 2 or 3 qualification in beauty therapy or nail services; for laser, peels and other advanced treatments, Level 4 or 5. Every professional should also carry insurance that covers the treatments they offer. A professional will tell you without hesitation and show you a certificate if you ask.

Licences, where the law requires them

Some treatments are licensed by local councils:

  • Electrolysis, microblading and semi-permanent make-up involve piercing the skin. In England the practitioner and premises must normally be registered with the council.
  • In London, many boroughs require a special treatment licence for laser, electrolysis and a range of other treatments.
  • In Wales, special procedures such as electrolysis and semi-permanent make-up need a personal licence and approved premises.
  • In Scotland, skin piercing is licensed by local councils.

England is also introducing a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Licensed businesses usually display their licence, and you are entitled to ask to see it.

Why you will not find injectables here

Radar Beauty does not list anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers or other injectables. Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine, which means it should only be prescribed after a face-to-face consultation with a qualified prescriber, and fillers are being brought under the new licensing scheme in England. A directory cannot check prescriptions, so we leave these treatments out entirely. If a listing on the site offers them, please report it.

Patch tests are a good sign

Tints, lash adhesive, lash lift and lamination solutions and many skin products can cause allergic reactions, sometimes in people who have used them for years. A patch test 24 to 48 hours before your first appointment — and again when the products change — is how a responsible therapist checks. Being asked for one is a good sign; being told it is unnecessary is not.

Hygiene you can see

Tools should come from a sealed pouch or a steriliser. Files and buffers should be new for each client. Wax should be applied with a fresh spatula every time. Foot spas should be disinfected between clients or lined. Needles and cartridges for microneedling and microblading must be single-use and opened in front of you.

Agree the price and the terms

Agree the treatment, the total price and any course or deposit terms before you go, ideally in writing. Ask whether removal of old nails or lashes, the consultation and the patch test are included. A price that only appears once you are in the chair is a warning sign.

Deposits to refuse

Many therapists and salons take a small deposit to secure a booking, and that is normal — an independent will often ask for it by bank transfer to their own account. Be wary of:

  • a request to pay by bank transfer to an account whose name does not match the person or business you are booking;
  • payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency;
  • pressure to pay for a whole course before you have had a consultation;
  • a deposit that is a large share of the total price.

These are the standard patterns of booking scams, and the money rarely comes back.

If something goes wrong

If you have a reaction, follow the aftercare advice and contact the business. For anything that worries you — swelling, blistering, spreading redness, or a reaction near the eyes — contact NHS 111 or your GP, and call 999 in an emergency. Report hygiene concerns or unlicensed premises to your local council’s environmental health team, and scams to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

And tell us. Every listing has a report link at the bottom, and we review every report within 24 hours. Our safety page has the full list of contacts.

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